Sources say the 2 companies agreed to develop a system for data exchange involving vehicles and transport infrastructure. Huawei is the third largest smartphone maker in the world.

The system will utilize next-generation mobile networks called 5G. A venture firm that originated at the University of Tokyo will also take part in the project.

Softbank and Huawei plan to develop technologies, including one to stop vehicles by remote control as well as exclusive frequency bands for auto-driving.

Softbank is the first major Japanese telecom firm to join hands with a multinational in this field.

In April, Softbank set up a company dedicated to the development of self-driving. It plans to expand tie-ups with other companies.

US IT giant Google and other companies have been developing self-driving technology. A number of auto firms are also working to commercialize the technology.

Washington should stop using its own market economy assessment to deny China's "rights," Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang told reporters.

"China advises the United States to stop mixing things and escaping its international obligations. China calls for the United States to fully comply with the rule promptly, and push for healthy development of China-US trade relations," the official said.

US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said last month the time was "not ripe" for the United States to change the way it assesses whether China has achieved market economy status. She added there were no international trade rules requiring changes in the way US anti-dumping duties are calculated.

According to Shen, China should enjoy its rights as a WTO member and all other members should fulfill their obligations.

As a condition of joining the WTO, China agreed in 2001 that other WTO members could treat it as a "non-market economy” till the agreement on membership expires. They had the advantage of using a third country's prices to gauge whether China was selling its goods below market value.

As the deadline draws near, some WTO members are disputing the automatic recognition of China as a market economy.

Washington warned China in July that it had not done enough to qualify for market economy status, especially in the steel and aluminum industries.

The Chinese envoy at the WTO reportedly said the ending of the agreement would eliminate the legal basis for countries to continue using "discriminatory anti-dumping methodology" against China.

Low Chinese export prices have become a stumbling block in trade relations with the US, the EU, and the WTO countries. They are accusing China of unfair trade practices in overseas markets such as dumping products at low prices. Steel producers complained that China was distorting the global market by exporting excess aluminum and steel.

Last month, the US Commerce Department began a formal investigation into Chinese steel companies accusing them of shipping steel through Vietnam to avoid US import tariffs.

The move aims to put an end to Switzerland's long-protected banking secrecy practices as well as stopping wealthy foreigners from hiding their undeclared income in the country.

The AEOI system is a global standard introduced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to fight tax evasion. As part of the regulations, all banks are obliged to send client information to national tax authorities with data on foreign residents to be shared with tax authorities in the customers' home countries.

Switzerland has been the focus of debate on black money allegedly stashed by foreign residents behind its strong banking secrecy walls.

Consultations will be held next March with the accords expected to come into force by January 2018 and information exchange to start a year later, according to the statement.

The government says, “This will contribute to strengthening the competitiveness, the credibility, and integrity of Switzerland's financial center.”

Switzerland has already agreed to automatic information exchange agreements with 38 other countries, including all of the EU, Gibraltar, and Australia. Data sharing will start as soon as the next year.

The Swiss parliament is currently contemplating similar pacts with Canada, Japan, South Korea, Iceland, Norway and the British crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

The throughput of the port reached 204 million tons in the first 10 months of the year, a year-on-year growth of 49 percent, Zhao Zhenqing, chairman of the Cangzhou Port Group told the press conference.

With total investment of more than 60 billion yuan ($8.7 billion), a sea channel capable of taking 200,000-ton ships, with 33 berths for ships weighing more than 10,000-tons, has been built at the port.

The port launched its first freight train bound for Duisburg, Germany, in June. It also opened its first international direct flight to Southeast Asia in September. So far over 20 ship companies have opened 13 container shipping lines starting from the port.

The rapid development of the port will support the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional integration and the Belt and Road Initiative, said Zhang Guodong, director of the administration for Bohai New Area in Cangzhou City.